Workers killed in explosion at American power plant

Search for more victims after building under construction is blown apart

Published:

BLAST SCENE: The Kleen Energy plant in Middletown, Connecticut

At least five people were killed and 14 injured yesterday in an explosion at a power plant under construction in the US state of Connecticut.

People living up to 30 miles away reported that their homes were shaken by the blast at the Kleen Energy plant, being built outside Middletown.

The town’s mayor, Sebastian Giuliano, said the devastation was caused by a gas explosion.

There were reports of people trapped under the remains of a plant building, and a rescue operation was under way.

Search experts and specialist dog teams were at the site combing through the wreckage, the mayor said.

Mr Giuliano told a news conference that the plant, which was only 95% complete and due to open fully in the summer, was undergoing a series of gas tests when the explosion occurred.

He said between 100 and 200 people worked on the massive site and were employed by multiple contracting companies.

“How many people were here today – that's the number they can't really nail down. They were purging gas lines all night long, most people were evacuated from the building when they ran the tests," Mr Giuliano said. The plant is located to the south of the town, on the Connecticut River. Earlier, deputy fire marshall Al Santostefano said there were some 50 construction workers on the site at the time of the explosion.

At least 100 firefighters were sent to the scene and it had taken them an hour to contain the fire caused by the blast, he said.

Officials said there was no further danger to the public, and had not evacuated the area. The plant, however, remained cordoned off.

The nearby Middlesex Hospital received 11 victims, while the hospital in the state capital, Hartford, treated three others. Mr Santostefano said a natural gas pipeline running near the plant had exploded at 1617 GMT, sending a shockwave that one local resident compared to an earthquake.

Lynn Townsend said: “We heard such a loud explosion. When we went outside we saw a very big explosion of bright orange flame between the two smoke stacks.

“It really shook the house and everybody was scared and the kids started to cry."